**CHAPTER 6: "K-Popper vs. Otaku" (Part 2)**
**Daniel's POV**
Nikki stood there, head held high, proudly rattling off her idols' accomplishments—their sold-out concerts across the globe, the worldwide acclaim for their music. She bragged about how far BTS had come, comparing them to legendary boybands like Westlife and One Direction that once dominated the music scene.
She spoke with such enthusiasm, like she was their manager pitching her star clients. I'm not sure if she noticed the utter boredom on my face—I had zero interest in her stories about those 3D idols. It was maddening to think how obsessed she was with those guys.
Tsk, I never imagined I'd have a sister who's completely nuts for pretty-boy idols.
*Husbands*? She had the audacity to call them that when they don't even know she exists. They probably couldn't care less that there's a Nikki Muntingbato out there, yet she claims they make her heart race. She's worse than those girls who throw themselves at their crushes, only to be ignored.
Poor little sister.
"It doesn't matter if they know me or not, Kuya. I love them, and I'm happy just watching them and hearing them sing for me," Nikki shot back.
"Tsk, they're not singing just for you—they're performing for millions of girls who fall for their charming antics. Honestly, they don't care about you or any of their fans. They wouldn't even blink at your funeral, so why waste your money and energy on them?" I argued.
Nikki's face twisted into a scowl, and she launched into a heated defense of her idols. I fired back, saying those guys were making her act recklessly, like she wasn't the proper Filipina girl she should be. Fans of Korean boy groups often don't realize how overboard they go with their obsession.
I've seen it online—girls screaming their lungs out, cursing, practically collapsing from excitement while clutching their idols' photos like they're possessed. It might be fun or just an expression of their feelings, but honestly, it's not a good look—shrieking and going wild over guys. In street terms, it's kind of *malandi* in guys' eyes like mine.
And then there are those girls who go too far, shouting things like, "Get me pregnant, Suga!" or "Take responsibility for our kid!" or even "Take my virginity!"—words that make you lose all respect.
"You need to think carefully, Nikki, before you get caught up in that behavior. You're ruining yourselves over guys who have nothing to do with your lives," I said.
"People don't care about your perspective as a fangirl, Nikki. They only see and hear what's in front of them. And you know what they think of girls like you, screaming and swooning over guys like lunatics?"
"Even if you're not like those girls, you'll still be judged because you're part of their group."
I stepped closer, placed a hand on her head, and urged her to stop idolizing those guys for her own good. As her older brother, I care about her, and I don't want people judging her harshly. But I didn't stop there—I went after her obsession with K-dramas, saying they push girls like her to chase boyfriends and start flirting at school.
I explained that the sweet words in those shows might sound nice, and the idea of a prince-like partner is thrilling, but the real world doesn't work that way. Not everything aligns with what we want or expect in love.
"I'm not bitter, Nikki, but in the 3D world, there's no such thing as forever. It's full of lies and complications, made worse by things like pride and differing standards, especially when it comes to love," I said.
Maybe I went overboard, but I was saying it for her sake—not just to annoy her or trash K-dramas. I'm not bitter about love, I swear. I'm *not*.
"You're still young, Nikki. Focus on your studies so you can have a good future. Drop the K-pop and K-dramas—they're just bad influences for someone like you," I said, sounding a bit smug.
I didn't notice her face flushing red with anger as I spoke. Suddenly, she raised her foot, stomped on mine, and shoved me back.
"Arrgghh!" I yelped in pain.
She darted to her bed, climbed up, and faced me, hands on her hips, pointing at me as she let loose. "Mind your own business, you weirdo geek!" she snapped.
"What did you say? I'm your Kuya, so don't call me that!" I shot back.
"Hah! I don't need lectures from an ex-NEET like you, who spent nearly a decade locked in his room fantasizing all day!" she retorted.
Her words struck me like an arrow to the chest. I didn't expect my little sister to talk to me like that, with no respect or regard for me as her older brother.
She wasn't done. She even criticized my love for Japanese idols and J-pop, pointing out how I sing their songs in the bathroom, which she often overhears. It felt like she was getting revenge for my earlier jab at her singing.
I tried to defend myself, but before I could get a word out, she cut me off, tearing into my otaku lifestyle. "You get annoyed at me for listening to Korean songs, but it's no different from the Japanese music you love. You enjoy J-pop even though you don't fully understand the lyrics either."
"B-b-but it's different because—" I stammered.
"Hah! Don't act like it's different just because of the language. You're ignoring the message of the songs. Admit it, Kuya—it's not about the music. You just don't like the people singing it."
"You're jealous of BTS because they're handsome and girls go crazy for them. Am I right?" she grinned, pointing at me accusingly.
Her smirk made it feel like she'd caught me in a lie about my feelings toward BTS. I quickly denied it, but just like before, she didn't give me a chance to speak, continuing her attack.
"Hey! Even if I don't know their lyrics, I can tell if a singer's voice is good. And I think the only reason you and so many others are obsessed with them is because they're handsome!" I teased, trying to turn the tables.
"I get it—you're jealous because they're swoon-worthy. It's understandable for an NGSB, no-girlfriend-since-birth, virgin like you to get mad when girls' attention goes to them instead of you," she fired back.
I clutched my chest, feeling the sting of her words like arrows piercing my heart. But she wasn't done humiliating me. She went after my admiration for cute Japanese girl groups and cosplayers, saying I'm only drawn to their looks, just like I accused her of being with BTS fans.
"And you say my K-dramas are all about flirting? That's rich, considering the kind of stuff *you* watch," she said.
She brought up romance anime and shows with young characters who have love interests, arguing that anime also influences kids to chase partners, especially since most viewers are young. She even mentioned guys who dream of being fawned over by girls because of harem anime like *Nisekoi*.
"And what right does a NEET otaku like you have to talk about being a proper fan? Not all K-pop fans are like what you described. Many are just simple fans who admire without doing the embarrassing things you mentioned," she said.
She criticized my otaku identity, pointing out how many of us are into lewd shows and fanservice-heavy anime. She didn't spare my expensive collecting habits either. "I have classmates who are anime fans, screaming 'I love oppai,' openly admitting they're lolicon or pedophiles, or obsessing over boys' love pairings."
"If we go by what you said earlier, you're also ruining yourself by being part of the otaku community. Some of them act inappropriately, especially toward cosplayers, practically harassing them," she added.
"Wait, Nikki, not everyone's like that. You think I'd do that to people?" I tried to explain.
She pressed on, saying otakus often claim anime isn't just for kids, and asked why. She had a point—anime fans often defend mature shows like hentai when people call anime childish, and it can be a bad influence on kids.
"I'm a decent person with respect for others. Don't lump me in with them," I countered.
"You said it yourself—people don't care about your perspective as a fan. They judge based on what they see and hear. And since you're part of that group, you'll be judged too," she said. "So, what do people think of otakus?" she added, smirking like she was mocking me.
"If we K-poppers love people who don't know us, you otakus love characters who aren't even real," she said.
I was speechless. Everything she threw at me was true—things I'd said myself. It was like I'd fired a bullet that boomeranged back at me.
She didn't stop there. To counter my advice to prioritize studies over K-pop, she brought up how I'd wasted years as a NEET, addicted to anime, manga, and games. But before she could go on, I cut her off.
"You don't need to say it. I've changed, Nikki," I said.
I covered her mouth, pleading with her to stop, almost in tears. "Alright, fine, ceasefire! I won't meddle in your hobbies anymore. I'll respect what you love, just please, quiet down."
"Hah!" Nikki grinned, rolling her eyes.
Our argument ended, and I left her room feeling drained and lifeless. It hit me how easy it is to lecture others, pointing out their flaws and saying harsh things, but when you're the one being called out, it's not pleasant—it's downright humiliating.
I'm the older brother, yet my little sister schooled me on right and wrong. I felt like a hypocrite, criticizing others without reflecting on my own mistakes.
I went back to my room, threw myself onto my bed, and tried to sleep. I'd lost all energy. But before I could close my eyes, I heard the music start up again in Nikki's room. She was back to singing along with her idols, full of energy, as if nothing had happened.
What could I do but cover my ears with a pillow? I had no face to show her after all that.
In anime, younger siblings of protagonists are usually cute and rely on their older siblings. No matter what happens, they get along and love their big brother. But Nikki and I aren't like that. Our different hobbies and outlooks on life keep us at odds.
As an otaku, this isn't what I expected from having a younger sister.
When will fate ever be on my side? Why don't I have what others have? This isn't fun at all.
*"The world is so unfair,"* I shouted, burying my head under a big pillow.
**END**